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On the calm, silver sea, a small boat carrying two people drifted slowly under the rising moon. On the boat, Satori quickly devoured the large chicken leg and every scrap of dry rations Nami had. He licked his fingers and extended a greasy hand toward her.
"Is there any more? I'm still very hungry."
Nami stared at the empty bags in shock. After a long silence, a thick vein throbbed on her forehead. "No! It's all gone! All the food I brought for two days has been eaten by you!" She hadn't expected the boy to have such a frightening appetite. His ravenous appearance had been so intense that she had handed over her food almost out of instinct. Now, she had nothing left for herself.
"Ah, is that so?" Satori awkwardly scratched his head. He stood up, clenching his fists to test his strength. "Although I'm not completely full, my body finally has some energy back." He looked up at Nami and grinned. "Don't worry! I have strength now. I can go fishing in the sea!"
Nami was taken aback. "Go fishing?" She was about to suggest a fishing rod would be safer than jumping in, but before she could speak, Satori began to peel off his orange gi. In an instant, he appeared completely naked before her.
Nami's voice caught in her throat, her face turning a deep shade of crimson.
"Hehe, wait on the boat! I'll catch some fish and be right back!" Satori waved with a grin and plunged into the sea, disappearing with a splash.
It was only then that Nami recovered her voice and roared at the spot where he had jumped: "You idiot! How can you do something like that in front of a girl?!"
Two minutes later, a string of bubbles broke the surface. Satori's head emerged, and he tossed a two-meter-long fish into the boat, causing the small vessel to rock violently and sink several inches into the water. Nami, who had been quietly cursing, gasped in astonishment. "He... he really caught it? And it's huge!"
Satori hopped back onto the boat, hands on his hips. "How's that? My fishing skills aren't bad, right?"
Nami ignored his pride. She walked over and delivered a sharp, deadpan flick to his forehead. Bang!!
"Before you speak, can you please put on your pants?!"
"Hiss—" Satori grimaced, clutching the new bump on his head. "Why do I have to wear pants to talk?"
"Because being naked in front of a girl is incredibly rude!!" Nami roared, transforming into an enraged tigress.
"Oh, I see," Satori nodded thoughtfully. "Bulma used to say something similar." He still didn't quite grasp the concept of gender, but he shook the water from his head and deftly pulled his pants back on.
Nami, now covered in the water Satori had shaken off, wiped her face and sighed. Endure... I must endure! She suppressed the urge to hit him again and began to set up a small fire pit on the boat. "Since you caught it, we'll eat. Go remove the scales and guts."
Satori tilted his head. "Why remove them? I always eat them directly."
Nami stared at him with pity. "I really don't know what kind of life you lived before. Never mind, I'll handle it. You just wait."
By the time the fish was roasting, the sky was pitch black. The two sat around the grill, the flickering flames dancing on their faces. While they waited, Nami asked, "So, how did you end up drifting alone at sea?"
"I was swimming to the next island," Satori replied, eyes fixed on the sizzling meat. "But I couldn't find anything to eat, and then I ran into a really, really big storm. I was too tired, so I fell asleep."
Nami whipped her head around, her expression blank. "You were... swimming? To another island? Across the ocean?"
Satori nodded. "Yes, I've always done that. But now I think a boat would be better. Thank you for saving me, Nami. If it weren't for you, I might have starved."
Nami looked at him with a complex expression. "I really don't know what to say. You're incredibly bold... and incredibly lucky. If I hadn't seen you, a Sea King would have made you a midnight snack."
"Hehe, that's why I said you're a good person," Satori grinned.
"Hmph! Thank me? Then give me back my money!" Nami extended her hand irritably, still thinking of the Berries she had lost at Qiya Island.
Satori's face turned sheepish. "I'm sorry. I realized later that Kado and his gang were the bad guys. But don't worry! I defeated them all. Everyone's money is back in their own hands. If you go back now, you'll get yours too!"
Nami's annoyance turned to shock. "You defeated Kado's whole gang? By yourself?"
"Mhm! It was simple. They weren't very strong."
Nami fell silent, looking at the small boy. He was a constant source of surprises. She waved her hand dismissively, finally feeling a sense of relief. "No need. That money wasn't mine anyway. Let it go back to the people it belongs to."